Salmon Vegetable Soup with Barley

In all the branches of cookery, I don't think there is anything more fun than making soups. Because the flavor builds up gradually as the elements cook together and blend, it is usually a fairly slow process, but one which leaves room for much experimentation and invention.
You must taste as you go along and probably will want to correct the seasoning with a touch or two of your own.

I love making soups, it's like making a magic potion, stirring, mixing, adding different herbs and spices, tasting, stirring again. My daughter loves watching me cooking soups, she is always saying: "Look, mommy is doing her magic again" and I always smile. :-) Salmon soup was created especially for my kids; they are picky eaters but they like soups. Wild Salmon and barley - it is the symbol to me how the ocean meets the earth - balanced and harmonious. The softness of vegetables and texture of barley are a delicious combination. I hope you like it too.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 quarts fish stock
• 1 leek (white parts only), thickly sliced crosswise and washed
• 1 cup potatoes, peeled 
• 2 middle sized carrots
• 1/2 cup pearl barley (in this recipe, the tiny grains are used to thicken the soup, resulting in a pleasantly chewy texture)
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 Tbsp of melted butter  
• 1 lb. skinless boneless salmon fillet, cut into 1" cubes 
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 peas black pepper
• 1/2 cup white vine
• 1 cup low fat cream (if you are using)
• freshly ground pepper, to taste 
• salt, chopped dill, green onion

Directions:
In a large soup pot over high heat, bring the stock to a boil, add pepper and bay leaf. Add the barley, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until almost tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Cut potatoes and carrots into cubes, add to the boiling stock. Boil for 15 minutes on low heat.
Preheat the melted butter, stew the leek add up to the stock.
Pour in the white vine, add salt and ground pepper, and boil for 5 minutes.
Put broccoli pieces and cut into cubes salmon fillet into the soup, bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. If you using cream in the soup, pour in cream and bring the soup to boil one more time, and then remove from heat.
Ladle the soup into warmed bowls. Serve with chopped dill and green onions.